There are three main categories of electrically powered motor vehicles (which means motor vehicles which are propelled at least in part using electrical energy):                battery-powered electric vehicles, which operate exclusively using the electricity accumulated in an accumulator battery,        hybrid vehicles, which are propelled by the energy produced by the combination of a combustion engine and an electric motor, and        hydrogen-powered vehicles, which are also known as fuel cell vehicles.        
In order to heat or cool the passenger compartment of battery-powered electric vehicles, currently use is generally made of climate control systems connected to the battery which have the disadvantage of operating only off this battery, placing a high demand on the accumulator cells and therefore appreciably reducing the range of these vehicles.